Obesity Risk Factors

If a person has an excess amount of body fat they are considered to be obese. The body mass index (BMI) is the formula most commonly used to determine if a person is obese. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, and a variety of other health problems.

Several factors may lead to increasing your risk of obesity, including:

… 1 … Genetics

The genes you inherited can affect not only the amount of body fat you store but also the manner in which that fat is distributed throughout your body. The manner in which your body burns calories while exercising how efficiently a body converts food into energy may also be affected by a person's genetic makeup.

… 2 … Family history

Obesity runs in families, not simply because of genetics, but because people in a family generally have similar eating, lifestyle, and activity habits. However, if either one of your parents are obese, you stand a greater chance of becoming obese.

… 3 … Age

You can become obese at any age. It even affects young children. Your risk of obesity increases as you become older because your hormones change and because older people generally have a less active lifestyle. Plus, as you get older, muscle mass in your body decreases. When the amount of muscle decreases, metabolic decreases. Consequently, you do not need as many calories, making it more difficult to keep off excess weight unless you decrease the calories you consume accordingly.

… 4 … Smoking

Many people gain weight after they quit smoking. I smoked for 20 years, and when I quit, I earned 30 pounds in no time.

… 5 … Social or economic issues

If you are unable to find safe areas in which to remain physically active or to exercise, or if you do not understand proper nutrition and healthy ways of cooking, or if you are unable to obtain foods other than processed foods, you may have difficulties maintaining a reasonable weight. And, similar to families, it appears that your social networks will influence your weight. If your friends and / or relatives are obese, you are at high risk for becoming obese yourself.

You will not need to become obese just because you have one or more of these risk factors. Pay attention to your diet, stay physically active, address behavioral risk factors and you will significantly lower your risk of becoming obese.